Many power systems have multiple generator sets for supplying electricity to electric power loads. Some such power systems may have a group of generator sets that can all connect with and supply power to a common power line. In some circumstances, such a power system may have all of the generator sets in the group shut down and disconnected from the common power line with no electricity flowing in the common power line. In such circumstances, various events may warrant initiating supply of electricity from one or more of the generator sets in the group to the common power line. Some methods of doing so have one particular generator set designated to always connect to the common power line first. Such a control method may unnecessarily delay supply of electricity to the common power line because a generator set that becomes ready to supply electricity before the generator designated to connect first must wait for the designated generator set to become ready and connect.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,331 to Schultz (“the '331 patent”) discloses a power system with a plurality of generator sets associated with a common power line and a control method wherein any generator set that has become ready to supply electricity can connect to the common power line first if it wins an arbitration with the other generator sets. In the control method of the '331 patent after at least one generator set has become ready to supply electricity to the common power line, the generator sets collectively execute an arbitration to determine which generator set will connect to the common power line first. In this arbitration, each generator set ready to supply electricity repeatedly executes a cycle that includes sending an inhibiting signal to other generator sets for a period and then waiting for a period. A generator set drops out of the arbitration only if it is not sending an inhibiting signal when another generator set sends it an inhibiting signal. Any generator set that executes 100 cycles of signaling and waiting without dropping out of the arbitration proceeds to connect to the common power line.
Although the control method of the '331 patent allows any generator set that has become ready to supply electricity to connect to the electrical conductor first if it wins an arbitration, certain disadvantages persist. For example, after determining that a generator set has become ready to supply electricity, waiting for signals from other generator sets may unnecessarily delay supply of electricity to the common power line.
The power system and methods of the present disclosure solve one or more of the problems set forth above.